Platypus

This cute little monotreme is 38cm long. I made him using 8 ply brown and black wool and a 4 mm hook. This pattern is written in American crochet notation.

Head

With brown wool

Stuff as you go

Round 1: chain 10 (one of these chains is a turning chain, so it will not become an actual stitch), sc 8 stitches along the chain, increase in the next chain, turn the chain and sc 7 stitches along the other side, increase in the next stitch

Round 2: increase in the first stitch, sc in the next seven stitches, increase in the next two stitches, sc in the next eight stitches, increase in the next stitch

Round 3: sc in the first stitch, increase in the next stitch, sc in the next eight stitches, increase, sc, increase, sc in the next nine stitches, increase in the last stitch

Round 4: sc in each stitch

Round 5: increase in the first stitch, sc, increase, sc in the next seven stitches, increase, sc, increase, sc, increase, sc in the next nine stitches, increase, sc

Rounds 6 – 13: sc in each stitch

Neck

Round 14: decrease the first two stiches together, sc 11, (decrease the next two stitches together) x 2, sc 14, decrease the final two stitches together (in other words, you are working an sc in every stitch except that you are decreasing twice on each end)

Round 15: decrease the first two stitches together, sc 10, (decrease the next two stitches together) x 2, sc 12, decrease the final two stitches together

Round 16: decrease the first two stitches together, sc 7, (decrease the next two stitches together) x 2, sc 10, decrease the final two stitches together

Body

Round 17: sc in the first three stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat

Round 18: sc in the first four stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat

Round 19: sc in the first five stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat

Round 20: sc in the first six stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat

Rounds 21 – 43: sc in each stitch

Round 44: sc in the first six stitches, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat

Round 45: sc in the first five stitches, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat

Round 46: sc in the first four stitches, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat

Round 47: sc in the first three stitches, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat

Round 48: sc in the first two stitches, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat

Round 49: sc in each stitch

Tail

Round 50: sc in the first two stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat

Round 51: sc in the first three stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat

Rounds 52 – 53: sc in each stitch

Round 54: sc in the first four stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat

Rounds 55 – 69: sc in each stitch

Round 70: sc in the first four stitches, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat

Round 71: sc in the first three stitches, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat

Round 72: sc in the first two stitches, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat

Round 73: sc in the first stitch, decrease the next two stitches together – repeat

Round 74: decrease until the hole closes

Fasten off, weave in end.

Bill

With black wool

Round 1: chain 8 (one of which is a turning chain), sc 6, increase, sc 5 along the other side of the chain, increase in the last stitch

Round 2: sc in the first 6 stitches, increase in the next 2 stitches, sc in the next 6 stitches, increase in the final 2 stitches

Round 3: sc in the first 6 stitches, increase in the next stitch, sc, increase, sc 6, increase, sc, increase

Rounds 4 – 13: sc in each stitch

Now start working in rows

Row 1: sc 11 (so we are making a row along the top side of the bill) (11 stitches)

Row 2: sc in each stitch (11 stitches)

Row 3: increase in the first stitch, sc in the next 9 stitches, increase in the final stitch (13 stitches)

Round 3: sc in the first stitch, increase in the next stitch – repeat (18 stitches)

Rounds 4 – 8: sc in each stitch (18 stitches)

Round 9: sc in the first two stitches, increase in the next stitch – repeat (24 stitches)

Round 10: sc in each stitch (24 stitches)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Stuff.

Fingers (there are five on each leg, so make twenty)

With black wool

Round 1: 4 sc in a magic ring (4 stitches)

Rounds 2 – 9: sc in each stitch (4 stitches)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Assembly

Flippers

Sew the fingers onto an arm (which has been stuffed). Join black wool to the inside tip of one of the edge fingers. (decrease 3 stitches together) x 2 on the inside of this first finger, then decrease 3 stitches together (two stitches on the first finger and one stitch on the second finger), then (decrease 3 stitches together) x 2 on the second finger etc. In other words you are working two decreases on each finger, with another decrease being shared between each adjoining finger. This will give the effect of there being webbing between the fingers.

You then sew each bit of webbing to the adjoining bit of webbing to form the flipper.